What's it like?

daisydoodle · March 9, 2005

You know, the R word! RESTRICTION! I'm just 9 days post op and sipping on some hot tea and got to thinking....what's it like? I mean, when you are able to eat real food.....do you just feel full like we did pre-band after a whopping meal? Or is it in a different place? A tightness? A pain?

I've been looking through threads but couldn't find a detailed describtion of how it felt.

Alexandra · March 10, 2005

Hi Daisy,

Welcome to bandland!! I think you'll get a good idea of what restriction feels like when you start to eat solid food. Even if you don't have real restriction post-op (like I didn't), the very first few times eating solid food will likely be an eye-opening experience. Your esophagus may even spasm a little, like a clenching feeling, trying to let you know it's not used to this solid food.< /p>

But that will very likely pass quickly and you'll be able to eat almost normally. So what does restriction feel like? Well, when it's working right and I'm doing everything right, it just feels like I'm full, sooner. Do you remember what it was like, say, eating Thanksgiving dinner until you were about to burst? At some point, you probably stopped to take a deep breath. Well I still have to take that deep breath, only it happens after a MUCH smaller amount of food. I just got full much faster, and it's up to me to notice it and actually stop eating. (That's always the trickiest part. ) People report different "signals" for that stop sign--some burp, some hiccup, some yawn. But it's essentially the same thing happening, in that we are getting full faster.

When I'm not doing things right--like eating too fast or taking bites that are too big and not chewing enough--restriction can cause actual pain. It feels like something is stuck about two or three inches below your throat. But if/when that happens it's a clear signal that I'm not being careful enough.

hagerteresa · March 10, 2005

Hi Nicole,

Congratulations on your banding! Hmmm... What's it like you ask... For myself I have lots of different new sensations. Most are pleasant but some aren't and other times it took changing my habits for it to be pleasant. If a meal goes really well and I feel like I can eat easily I can down a plate with child sized portions on it. I can't rush the meal but can eat it in that 20 minute timeframe and I feel comfortably full but not too stuffed. When a meal is being stubborn I might be able to get 3-4 bites down and now I've gotten better about realizing its not going down easily. If I stop then I'm ussually fine and it will go down okay without a PB episode. If I take just another bite or two I'm ussually sorry. I don't know if that situation occurs because I didn't chew well enough or ate too fast but I have gotten better about catching it at the right time. It is definitely a barrage of new sensations but nothing that would make me lose my happiness with the band. There are times when it is being difficult and I feel really frustrated and downright mad if its not going easily. I'll never forget an incident I had last month. My hubby and I went out for Breakfast and within two bites my band played stubborn. I was so cotton picking mad because I so wanted to eat all of my yummy Breakfast. I was having hashbrowns, eggs and sausage at the time and it was the hashbrowns that gave me such a problem. Any sort of fried potato doesn't typically work well for me. Other things will go easily one time and more difficult later. I had steak at my father in laws house last weekend and I was able to eat 2-3 oz of the steak, 1/2 baked potato and a few tablespoons of vegetables and salad but later that evening I tried a piece of leftover steak at home and it wouldn't work at all. My band is a fickled thing. Anyway, there is a learning curve but it doesn't take rocket science to figure it out. You'll learn what all the new sensations are like. Best of luck, Teresa

Scotty · March 10, 2005

I'm nearly 3 weeks post op and went on to 'mushy' (I hate that word) food last Friday. I've realised - and I think Alexandra is the same - that sometimes I don't feel 'full' until 2 or 3 minutes AFTER I stop eating. So, now I try to stop before that full feeling.

What's amazing is how little food I need to get there. I'm still struggling to get over 1000 calories a day. Sadly my weight loss isn't reflected in the amount I'm eating. Only 1lb in the last 2 weeks, but apparently that's normal. (I have to say that or Alexandra will shout at me:))))!)

What I'm struggling with is getting rid of the mental associations of that feeling of fullness, which generally were feelings of guilt. I still feel guilty even though I've no need to!

Corgi · March 10, 2005

Daisydoodle,

I'm so glad you asked this question, I'm being banded on Friday, March 18 and I want to learn as much as I can.

Thanks to all for you feelings of restrictions, I am sure everyone is different. I am going to try and stop after a few bites and see how I feel before continuing, I think this is really good advice.

Corgi

Alexandra · March 10, 2005

Scotty, you're doing great!

I also think you've said something really profound about guilt and fullness. We who have fought (and failed) for so long to eat less and survive really DO have to realize it's OK to be satisfied. It doesn't automatically mean, as I know it used to for me, that we've overindulged. Very sage observation, Scott! And as Dr. Phil says, you can't change what you don't acknowledge.